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Dave's 10 top fantasy football sleepers for the 2025 season. His top target players in 2025 fantasy football drafts including Jordan Love, Jordan Mason, and more.
One of the best parts about playing fantasy football is finding potential sleepers in your draft. Whenever you hear one of your league mates exclaim, "Who?" immediately after your pick, you know you've done something right.
There are sleepers available in drafts every year. If you correctly identify a few, it can be what propels your team to a fantasy football title.
Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Here are 10 sleepers to target in your 2025 fantasy football draft.
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Quarterbacks
Jordan Love - Green Bay Packers
Love's 2024 was a bit of a disappointment following a QB5 finish in 2023. He missed two games with a knee injury and battled a groin injury as well. He averaged nearly 20 fewer passing yards per game in 2024 and threw fewer passes as well. It all culminated with an overall QB17 finish, and Love only finished as the QB22 in fantasy points per game.
While that was not what fantasy gamers wanted to see, it's important to point out that while Love's fantasy numbers took a hit, he still played at a high level.
after spending the entire weekend researching & writing about the Packers 2024 season I 100% disagree w this
on early downs among 46 QBs, Love ranked:
#4 in YPA
#5 in EPA/att
#8 in successand that's despite being injured/playing thru injury half the year
then on 3rd down... https://t.co/iATM6chesB
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) June 2, 2025
Green Bay deployed a run-heavy approach last year, but it's very possible that was to accommodate a hobbled Love. The good news is that Love is now fully healthy entering 2025, and we should see the team throw the ball more this year. That means we can expect a better fantasy finish from Love.
Gamers who prefer to wait on quarterbacks should target Love later in their drafts. He's an ideal pick, as he can return top-five production at a significantly lower cost.
J.J. McCarthy - Minnesota Vikings
McCarthy was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was primed to take over as the team's starter, but tore his meniscus in the preseason and subsequently missed his entire rookie season. While that was unfortunate, McCarthy is now fully healthy and is set to lead the Vikings into the 2025 season.
J.J. McCarthy to Trishton Jackson for the 45 yard TD!
And @JJettas2 LOVES it!
📺: #LVvsMIN on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/QmEKsnabMz— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
Because he missed all of his rookie year, there is some trepidation surrounding McCarthy. His current NFFC ADP is 162.19 overall. That is understandable since McCarthy is a first-year starter.
However, it's worth noting that head coach Kevin O'Connell was able to guide career journeyman Sam Darnold to a career year in 2024. Minnesota also boasts a plethora of talented players in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. Given the situation he's entering, it should come as no surprise if McCarthy has a strong season.
He's an ideal target to pair with Love if you go with a late-round quarterback strategy.
Running Backs
Bhayshul Tuten - Jacksonville Jaguars
Tuten is a popular player in some dynasty football circles. He is a very athletic back and has game-breaking speed.
𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐆.@bhayshul went off for 266 rushing yards - a new @HokiesFB record - and the DUB 😤 pic.twitter.com/Yg2oYFsO9t
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) October 18, 2024
Unfortunately, Tuten fell to the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, based on comments made by new Jacksonville general manager James Gladstone, the team may have big plans for Tuten.
James Gladstone presented Bhayshul Tuten's name as a priority target on Day 3 during his two interviews with the Jaguars to become their GM pic.twitter.com/08PYmloWYU
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) April 26, 2025
We don't often hear a player's name mentioned during the interview process for a team's general manager position. This is a noteworthy event, and should not be ignored, as the team sees something special in Tuten.
Incumbent starter Travis Etienne Jr. has struggled with efficiency during his last two seasons. The new regime in Jacksonville has no ties to Etienne and brought in a back they love with Tuten. If Etienne struggles to begin the 2025 season, there's a real possibility Tuten will see more playing time.
If he does, he has the talent to run away with the job and never look back. That makes Tuten a great target in the latter stages of drafts.
Jordan Mason - Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota acquired Mason earlier this offseason in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. Mason filled in admirably for Christian McCaffrey last year in San Francisco, and Minnesota has made it known they want to lighten Aaron Jones' workload this year.
Mason is a solid back and scored well in a variety of metrics last year. With Jones being another year older, we should expect to see Mason carve out a significant role in the Vikings' offense. If he plays well enough, he might usurp Jones as the team's RB1.
The Jordan Mason touchdown managers were waiting for!
He has 93 yards and a TD so far! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lhubclHsVx
— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) September 10, 2024
Kyle Monangai - Chicago Bears
Monangai was a Day 3 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Chicago drafted him in the seventh round, but he is an underrated prospect with good skills and enjoyed a strong final season at Rutgers last year.
#Bears 7th round pick Kyle Monangai (Rutgers).
5-foot-8, 211. Low pad level + contact balance. Sudden footwork — with short-area acceleration. Can shake defenders in the open field. Production on underneath throws. pic.twitter.com/U5F5iBjK9n
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) April 29, 2025
Among 154 collegiate rushers with 100+ carries, Monangai finished 10th in PFF’s missed tackles forced. He is a tackle-breaking machine, and that should come in handy when transitioning to the NFL.
What makes Monangai such an intriguing sleeper is that the Bears' RB2 job behind D'Andre Swift is wide open. This is significant because new Bears head coach Ben Johnson famously deployed multiple backs during his time as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator.
Monangai is arguably a better player than Roschon Johnson. With a strong summer, Monangai could begin the season as the team's RB2. Given what we've seen from Ben Johnson's offenses in the past, that is a position you want to invest in for fantasy football.
Monangai is a perfect dart throw for one of the last picks in your draft.
Wide Receivers
Josh Downs - Indianapolis Colts
There is a lot to like about Downs entering 2025. For starters, his advanced metrics were very good. Per Fantasy Points Data Suite, Downs registered a 30 percent targets per route run (TPRR), a 23.9 percent target share, and a 2.29 yards per route run (YPRR). This is the kind of data you want to see from a receiver, as it indicates a high likelihood for fantasy football success.
Downs is available later in drafts largely due to his quarterback situation and target competition from other Colts players (Michael Pittman Jr., Tyler Warren, Alec Pierce). However, Downs has proven that he can command targets at a high rate and is a talented player.
Touchdown Josh Downs to give Indy a 24-7 lead!
📺: #TENvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/PAQDLqNOH2— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024
His situation may not be ideal, but we've seen receivers in supposedly poor situations exceed expectations in recent years. Downs could very well be the next, and he has the kind of upside that can win your league if he hits. Don't leave your draft without him.
Darnell Mooney - Atlanta Falcons
Mooney finished as the PPR WR31 in his first season with Atlanta last year. He posted a 64-992-5 line and had his best season as a pro since 2021.
Cousins to Mooney! @AtlantaFalcons have their first TD of the night
📺: #ATLvsPHI on ESPN
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/OYOWjShvSj— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2024
While that was all good to see, he struggled a bit during Michael Penix Jr.'s three games as a starter. However, Penix and Mooney have had an entire offseason to build chemistry, and Atlanta reportedly aims to incorporate Mooney into the offense further this year.
That means Mooney has a good chance to improve upon his 2024 numbers and could be a massive value in drafts. Mooney is an ideal late-round receiver for gamers who load up on running backs early in their draft.
Kyle Williams - New England Patriots
New England selected Williams in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. With free agent addition Stefon Diggs expected to miss at least the first four games of the season, there is an opening for Williams to begin the year as the team's WR1.
He was an underrated player in the 2025 NFL draft and is a strong separator. Given the lack of quality weapons in the New England offense, we could see the team funnel targets Williams' way.
Williams is an ideal late-round pick (especially for managers who deploy a robust RB approach early in drafts) as he is a talented player who could exceed expectations if he earns a large role right out of the gates.
2+ minutes of Kyle Williams absolutely torching guys on All-22:
• Patriots fans, meet your WR1… pic.twitter.com/NhPscB5NGS
— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) April 26, 2025
Tight Ends
Mason Taylor - New York Jets
Taylor was one of the top tight end prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft and is the son of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. The Jets selected him in the second round of the NFL Draft, and Taylor will have an opportunity to immediately produce.
New York has an opening behind Garrett Wilson for the team’s number two pass-catcher. The Jets' only other receivers of note behind Wilson are Allen Lazard and Josh Reynolds. Neither of them has been particularly good throughout their careers, so the door is wide open for Taylor to emerge as the number two option.
Passing volume will most likely be low with Justin Fields at quarterback. However, Fields helped Cole Kmet post consecutive top-10 finishes at the position during his time as Chicago’s starter. Fields could do the same for Taylor, too.
All of this makes Taylor an intriguing sleeper. He’s a great name to pair with another late-round tight end if you decide to wait on the position.
Chig Okonkwo - Tennessee Titans
Okonkwo hasn't done much during his three years in the NFL. However, he closed the 2024 season on a high note by catching 22 passes for 182 yards and posting two top 12 finishes in the season's final three games.
He has also drawn praise from Titans' coach Brian Callahan this offseason, and the coach has hinted at a potential larger role for the fourth-year tight end. Okonkwo also gets the bonus of playing with incoming number one overall pick Cam Ward.
Ward is arguably the best quarterback Okonkwo has played with, and young signal-callers sometimes latch on to tight ends as a security blanket when first entering the league (think Tony Gonzalez with early career Matt Ryan).
If this is the case for Ward and Okonkwo is in line for a larger role, then Okonkwo could be a sneaky tight end breakout candidate. He is basically free in drafts (NFFC ADP of 224.31 overall), so you should be able to use one of your last picks to draft Okonkwo.
Chig Okonkwo gets in open space for a 70-yard TD!
📺: #TENvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/98scOwfisp— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
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